The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-02-11
rmE CAPITAL.

Il Is all aboutlt may be we'll 10 briefly state
the case as Il Il fsund to be here. Ia 1870
the swamp land was passed, following the
California law that was first enacted as Tar
as possible. Il gave to The first one who
filed on the land preference 10 purchase
lands in an unlimited quantity. In very
short time after the passage OF this law
nearly all the swamp land In this state was
flied on. And the state pursued It's own
methods Of ascertalning the status Of law as
filed on for some years when the General
Government lnterfcrcd and claimed a dc.
fcrent rule and an agent In lts own behalf
TO act In making selections. Up TO 1873
there was more or less said about swamp
lands The Legislature Of that year Intend.
ed TO put an end to iurther large claims Tor
this land being made and passed law re-.
strictlng all subsequent applications TO gao
acres an act that would virtually put an
end 10 further filing upon these lands. Gal.
lfornia reduced her quantities very much In
the same way and thereby rendered the
grant of very little consequence. And the
law Of 1873 leaves Oregon swamp land In
about the same condition so far a. this grant
to the State Is concerned and filings there.
after. In 1878 We find real opposition 10 the
grant whether reasonable or not no one can
tell from what was done. Since 1873 the
State has had It's own agent and as all filings
made prior TO the passage of the law Of
1878, were In force these agents respective.
" Of the National and State Government,
were senl into the field TO select, determine
and report the status Of these lands claimed
as swamp lands by those who filed on them
prior to the act passed In 1873. which could
not affect these prior filings as the Supreme
Court decided For eight years and over
this precautionary method OF selecting these
lands was strictly adherd to. During which
time very few settlers have antagonlzed,
the swamp land claimants and better fee:.
ings were shown. but their troubles were
left to the Courts. II Il said but denied
that dry land Is reported as swamp land, be
that ~ II mary the Board has Issued no Ger
tifcates for land where this question was
raised. So Il does not figure In this matter
now. All sorts Of statements have gone
forth whether true or false, bat always 10
tho prejudice OF swamp land claimants
whose rights under the law were like all
others subject to the powers Of the Court in
ali eases when questioned. The public do
not understand that swamp land applicants
have any rights, and II the popular ciamor
about them IL 10 be considered they have
not. The public have been told over and
over again without contradiction that Il 10
all popular 'ssteal." and hence the belief
that II Is 50. II Is strange that with current
opinion no one can tell where the sAsseai''
comes In or even where there Is any fraud
Not an action At Law II Is said has even been
instituted charging fraud against the State
or claimants for the reason that none exist.
cd. Al the law suits instituted and they
have been but few, have arisen where the
character Of the land was questioned. II Il
was swamp the applicant held Il by his iil.
Ing. but II dry land then the settler received
Il. II was question of fact at all times
OF the suits tried the winnings were about
even. II there il any fraud In fact the pub,
lie haYe = right 60 know Il. bat no case hai
ever been cited showing II. An inquiry
shows that the public impression Of ,hi'
business Il very different from what the
facts warrant. Under the administration
of this State for eight years past rules form
ulased with care from experience and de-
elsions Of our Courts Of final resort we're
adopted 10 carry out the provisions Of thI'
Law. The plain facts are what are wanted
anil the public should have them. The re
suit OF the past eight years shows as follows
Up TO 1873 about 2,ooo acres Of swamp lanG
had been approved to the State. Since 1878
under the administrations OF Cows. Thayei
and Moody certificates for s64.o6o6o acre,
have been issued 10 purchasers. In regars
TO these lands Gov Moody. says In his nes
sage sit Is reasonably certain (speakin,
of the report Of the Board) that within tn,
ensuing two years funds win be receives
from the sale Of swamp lands sufficient q
pay all Indebtedness chargeabie thereol
and leave II Il sbelieyed not less than 81 COO,
600. and Il may considerably exceed tha
sum and advises that It be turned over d
the school fund. The number OF acres &c
ported are free from contest and are 70
State disposal. And here we may remarl
that our public officers claim they hav
acted In this trust honestly and for the bes
interests of the State and have been when
ever there was occasion for testing the Ia,
sustained By the Courts. Against thI
swamp land fund warrants were drawn "a
wagon roads amounting to about SIroot,
| Up to 1873 about $4,000 were paid In cas-
on applications. These amounts have mou
than doubled by the accumulation Of inte
est and now the total would not be less tha
100000. Add TO this the expenses Of eigl
years since 1873 and We have sum 10 /
returned to those who have paid in cas-
and who owned or own these warrants,
this grant Is to be held for naught, that WI
require from four to five mills on the doll
to pay. This would be very oppressive
the people especially when the State loos
, over $T,ooo,ooo, by doing It. Now that Il
school tax Is to be increased to FIVE mills
would seem that that Is all the addition
tax that the people want and there will
very few indeed also viii consent to p
four to five mills on the dollar 10 allow d
State to loose $l,oooooo. Swamp Ian
under the law Of 1873 will not sell for /
reason that so small quantity Is not ava
Il able as $40 acres. This proved to be /
,e case in California and no doubt has been
here since 1873. AS this business Is NJ